Teaching students with speech difficulties can be a real challenge. It requires a range of thoughtful strategies that create an inclusive and supportive learning environment.
And if you’ve not worked with children with speech difficulties before, it can be even harder.
That is why we’ve put together this guide. Below, we’ll share some of our top tips for teaching students with speech challenges to ensure their language skills develop and that they feel safe and supported.
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Understand their Individual Needs
The first important step is to understand the unique needs of the child or children you are supporting. To do this, you can work closely with their parents and speech and language therapist if they have one.
They can help you understand the student’s specific challenges and strengths and the speech challenges they are suffering from. They might even be able to share some of the strategies they already have in place outside of school.
This enables you to take a tailored approach and adapt your teaching methods to accommodate the student’s needs.
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Encourage Communication
When a child struggles with their speech, it’s so important to encourage communication in all forms. This could mean utilising tools like communication boards, apps or devices for nonverbal students.
You should also encourage the student to communicate in any way they feel comfortable with, whether it’s gestures, writing, reading or speaking, even if it takes them a while. This will help to boost their confidence.
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Create a Safe and Supportive Environment
It’s important to celebrate all the child’s efforts to communicate. This offers positive reinforcement and builds a supportive environment.
It’s also a good idea to educate the whole class about speech challenges, what they are and how they can impact those affected. This helps to foster empathy and reduce stigma. Again, this can help the child to feel more confident and safe when trying to communicate with teachers or their peers.
Private communication options allow the student to communicate privately when needed to reduce their anxiety. This could be one-to-one lessons or support. Similarly, offering flexible seating arrangements that facilitate easier communication, like proximity to the teacher or classmates they trust, can instantly make the child feel more comfortable.
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Modify the Way You Set Tasks and Give Instructions
Children with speech challenges need extra support, and therefore, you may have to modify your teaching methods depending on the activity.
Part of this may involve simplifying your language and using clear and concise instructions when setting a task. You could also incorporate visual aids like pictures, charts and videos to supplement verbal instructions if this makes it easier for the child to understand and follow instructions.
It’s important to regularly check in with the student, confirming they understand through gestures, written responses or other cues.
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Promote Participation
Children with speech challenges may not always feel confident speaking out, participating in group activities or working with their peers. Therefore, it’s important to promote participation.
This can be done through small group activities that provide the opportunity for low-pressure participation in smaller, supportive groups.
You can also allow extra time for the student to process and respond so they feel like they can join in without being rushed or becoming stressed.
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Utilise Technology Where Appropriate
Although you don’t always want to rely on technology as this can be harmful if used too often, it can be helpful to use assistive devices from time to time. For example, encouraging the use of speech-generating devices or apps that help facilitate communication.
There are also lots of great speech apps that incorporate tools designed for speech therapy into the classroom. You can speak to the child’s therapist or parents to see if there are any tools they already use or conduct some research to find which apps or devices are most effective.
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Adjust your Expectations
One of the hardest things when dealing with a child with speech difficulties is recognising that their progress may be slower than others. This requires patience and means you may have to adjust your expectations of them.
But this also gives you an opportunity to celebrate their milestones. Acknowledging achievements, no matter how small, can build the student’s confidence and motivate them to keep trying and working hard.
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Model Positive Speech and Behaviours
It’s important to model calm and clear communication, not only to help the child understand instructions but also to support their learning. Be sure to speak slowly and clearly as a model of effective communication.
You can also use expressive body language and facial expressions to reinforce your message and help them understand how to communicate on a broader level. Remember, you are a role model for the children, and they will mimic what they learn from you.
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Incorporate Play and Creativity Into the Day
Games, role-play and other fun activities can encourage speech in a fun, low-pressure way, and there are lots of ways you can incorporate this into the school day.
Not only that, but creative activities like arts and music can be therapeutic and promote communication indirectly. For example, arrange music sessions where you sing repetitive songs that support their learning and get everyone involved.
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Focus on Their Emotional Well-being
Finally, it’s crucial to focus on the child’s emotional well-being as well as their academic development. Make sure to practise active listening and validate their feelings.
You should also find coping strategies that help them to deal with frustration or anxiety when communicating. Again, their speech therapist or parents might be able to offer some advice on techniques they use outside of school.
Are you Ready to Support your Students?
By using these tips and employing these strategies, teachers can create an environment where students with speech challenges feel valued, supported and empowered to learn and communicate.
They have a safe space where they can practise and develop their speech without fear or judgement, they can also have fun while doing it.